It Starts With One Thing
by purplebungybee
Summary: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets-from Ginny Weasley's point of view


**Chapter one- the drudgery that is life**

The first thing Ginny heard when she woke up was the sound of hollering family members from the kitchen. Apparently someone was in trouble. Again…the boys had only gotten back from Hogwarts a few weeks ago, but they were already bringing down the walls. _But nothing will bother me today _Ginny remembered suddenly. _Today my letter will come. _Ever since Bill had gone, ever since she could remember, Ginny had been waiting for this day. She had watched her brothers step onto the train so many different times. Watched them ride away with a puff of steam while she stood on the platform and waved them out of sight. She could remember when Fred and George's first trip had come. The house had become quieter when they had gone. Before then, Ron had often taken refuge with her, knowing that his hair would stay red and his nose would remain on his face. After the twins were gone, he'd continued to hang out with her. But then his first September first had come, she finally stood on the platform with only her mother. That parting had been the hardest of all of them. Ginny felt a slightly guilty turn as she pictured her mother, standing all by herself on the platform this year.

"Poor Mum…" she muttered. Then Ginny flew out of bed and began to dress. What if the letter had already come?

"Mum! Mum! Has the mail come yet! Mum?"

She must be making breakfast already, Ginny thought distractedly, flying down the stairs and almost tumbling head over heels when she didn't see the raincoat sitting innocently in the middle of the landing.

With an angry snarl, she picked up the raincoat and shoved it in the closet before turning toward the kitchen. There seemed to be enough clattering in there to account for most of the family already. As she rounded the corner, already opening her mouth to ask for her letter, she saw him.

Him.

_Harry Potter_ was eating breakfast at her kitchen table. Ginny's question dissolved into a squeal as she quickly backed out of the kitchen and made a beeline for the stairs.

Nobody had told her _He_ was coming… How had nobody told her?! And now she'd gone and walked in on him eating while she was wearing her nightdress! Cheeks reddening anew as this anguishing thought surfaced, Ginny slammed her door with a snap and dove under her covers again.

Even Ron had noticed that she liked Him. Probably even her dad. She'd heard all about the fascinating adventures He had taken with her brother and Hermione in the last year while she had sat at home. Ron had sent a raving letter to her after the first week of school, filling his baby sister in on visiting with Hagrid, fighting with this nosy girl (who happened to turn into one of his best friends, she had of course noted), finally learning magic and meeting all the teachers Fred and George had tortured. But best of all, befriending the single, most popular boy in the whole school. After that letter, Ginny had spent days moping around the house; it hadn't taken her long to realize what it was exactly that she was so jealous of.

Much to her disappointment, Ron had completely ignored her until his troll incident at Halloween. She had been just a bit shocked at herself when she realized that far from regretting Ron's silence, she had instead been unhappy that he never told her about Harry. And now here He was, sitting in the kitchen below her, and she was too mortified to even move. With the sigh of one submitting to the drudgery that is life, she buried her head under her pillow to shut out someone or other's loud complaints about gnomes or something and contemplated her empty stomach.

**Chapter 2 the life that is spent mucking about behind whatever**

Later in the morning, after carefully picking out the least scruffy pair of clothes she owned and meticulously combing her shoulder-length fire hair, Ginny was ready to try going downstairs once again. She had long since realized that the Hogwarts letters weren't coming that day, that in fact, the muffled conversation she'd been eavesdropping on the night before had never been about letters 'coming', but instead irresistibly sweet boys 'coming'. She could only imagine that she'd only been hearing what she wanted to hear (eavesdropping was one of her most practiced arts) and it was yet another embarrassment that she pushed out of her mind as she opened the bedroom door- and came face to face with Ron and Him as they were walking up the stairs. With a snap she shut the door again. Face reddening in the empty room, she cursed her luck. As their footsteps continued on up the rickety stairs, she could hear Ron telling Him how weird she was acting…_Thanks a lot big brother…_

The next few days were some of the most nerve racking Ginny thought she had ever known. '_One would think'_ she found herself constantly muttering to herself '_having the cutest boy on the face of the Earth stay at one's house would be a good thing…'_ But no, oh no. That would be just too easy. Every time she saw him, she wished she could disappear. And all the time he spent out of her sight she was looking for him. Every time He said something to her (it had happened about twice now) she forgot how to talk. Every time he asked her to pass something at the dinner table (this had happened a lot more often), she had almost dropped it. And every time anything happened, Fred and George, even _Percy_ were there rubbing it in afterwards.

"Ginny, I don't think Harry really goes for the beans all over his shirt look, in case you were wondering..."

"Gin, it may be a bit of a shocker for you, but I think Harry wouldn't mind if you answered him when he asks you if you've seen Mum."

"Ginny, it may just be my brotherly overprotective nature, but do you actually _fancy_ Harry?"

Considering the fact that Percy came out of his room for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and to steal back his possessions, this was saying rather a lot.

The only good point was that since she was spending so much time avoiding people in general now anyway, disappearing into Ron's closet to listen to them talk about Quidditch for hours on end went completely unnoticed. In fact, a whole lot of what she did seemed to be going unnoticed lately. Molly was so busy fussing over Him that it was a wonder Fred and George hadn't gotten themselves abducted by aliens already (it was what she'd always imagined them doing if left to their own devices for too long a time, no questions please). Arthur, after mortally embarrassing her when he'd asked Him if muggle toilets flushed in front of her had assumed a position of non-agressive fleeing when alone with her, and Ron went with out saying. _Times like these I wish Bill was still around…_

Late on the afternoon that the letters had finally come, (an entire week later) Ginny sat basking in the sunlight. A thick bush that wielded large, sticky leaves blocked her from the sight of the boys playing Quidditch in the field behind her. Even if her clothing would be coated in her hideout's leaves later, everything was, for once, going well. They couldn't see her-she couldn't be embarrassed. She could only hear them-the rest was left to her imagination. Harry was a great flyer. Years of stalking the twins as they played in this field had taught her that much at a glance. As a stray apple whizzed high over her head, she lazily thought of the real Quiddtich games she could watch Him play this year. No doubt he was best on the team… with the best broom she'd ever seen and the most stunning natural talent she'd born witness to (and yes, she _had_ seen more than backyard apple games), how could he not be? A smile flitted across her lips as she closed her eyes, drowsy with satisfaction, envisioning the day when he finally noticed her, and he became_ her _superstar. Going to Hogwarts finally… future famous Quidditch player in her back yard… what wasn't there for her to still desire?

**Chapter 3-A first-hand account of the horrors of buying everything second hand**

He got lost on the way to Diagon Alley. _He_ got lost. She would have laughed along with the twins at the sight of his soot covered form had it been anyone else. Instead, she felt embarrassed. Again. Her mum had dragged her off away from Him and into the bank before she could even turn red in sympathy for him however. The poor guy had gotten out in Knockturn Alley. _Rather brave of him to not panic... Couldn't imagine what Ron would have done in a situation like that…_

She could have cried when He was led down to the vaults with them. Her father had determinedly stared at the tunnel wall as her mother had groped for every last knut. Percy had seen her turning red and was bound to make some stupid comment to her later. And while Fred stared at something or other, George had stared at their mother with one of the saddest looks she'd ever seen.

Thus had followed the most thorough scouring of second hand shops she'd never thought possible. Loads of times, her mother had been forced to cart her around as she searched for that one thing they just couldn't manage to pay for new. Loads of times she'd scuttled after her mother, never really understanding why Molly never talked to anyone as they hurried about the dingy shops. Loads of times, she'd marveled at how big a deal Molly had made about finding the single, most beneficial bargain in the whole town. But now wasn't one of those times. Even though Ron had turned traitor to their childhood and denounced it, she at least, was sure she was growing up. And when they passed by Madam Malkin's glossy display window, she hadn't even given it a glance. Of course as her mother handed her robe after robe to try on in a bitsy little shop off the main street, Ginny wondered if her cheeks would always fume with shame. Some things couldn't be helped.

Before they met up with the rest of the family (and Him, more importantly), Ginny had seen more of Diagon Alley than she ever wished to see again in the whole of her existence. She'd even had to stand by as Mrs. Weasley took a brief detour to order a fresh supply of some sick, slimy pink tentacles outside an apothecary. But the tedious day wasn't over yet. Even the appearance of the famous, the amazing, the looks-like-he-fell-in-a-barrel-of-lip-gloss Lockhart hadn't lifted her spirits.

Needless to say, by the time her dad tried to beat up Lucious Malfoy, she wouldn't have been surprised if she gave way to sudden combustion. First that _idiot _Mini Malfoy just had to come up and tease poor Harry about Mr. Lip gloss's stupid prattle that hadn't been Harry's fault in the first place. Then he'd just had to embarrass her in front of Him. Then Ron. Then Mr. Macho Cool Malfoy had to come on over and add his two cents. In a way Ginny was almost glad her father had embarrassed the whole bookshop in his attempt to preserve dignity; anything was worth it when you got to see Mr. Macho Cool get hit in the eye with an encyclopedia of toadstools.

Furiously confined to her room later that evening (she hadn't seen where He had gone, so nowhere else was safe at the moment), she decided it was a most excellent time to start packing for Hogwarts. September 1st couldn't come soon enough. Just before she'd disentangled herself from the mess of shopping and people in the kitchen, Percy had caught her arm and told her he wanted to talk to her later. _Hopefully he'll forget..._

As she dug around under her bed, fingers groping for her forgotten quill, legs dangling wildly in the air, her door burst open in a flurry of energy. Her _locked_ door.

"FRED!" she screamed, bumping her head on the underside of the bed as she tried to wriggle out. He was going to be there too. She'd bet anything she owned. "FRED it's called KNOCKING", she screeched as she managed to knock over her "new" old cauldron and spill all her "new" old books before she got plucked from under the bed by her ankles.

But it was George chucking as he stood above her. "Having fun?" he asked, bending down to the faded blue carpet and dragging her out of her awkward position on the floor and sitting her on the messy bed with a mphuf from the sagging mattress.

Ginny glared at him as he sat down next to her, causing the poor mattress to wilt nearly to the carpet.

"So much hatred dear sister, what is this?" George joked, trying to loosen her up. Her scowl deepened.

"George, don't come in here and pretend like I'm not mad at you too. I mean, come on! You stole Dad's car without even telling me! You, all of you, even Ron _ignore_ me _all_ the time! I'm sick of it! And now with Harry muugh-", George had laid a sticky palm across her mouth. Ginny, it seems to me, as far as Harry's in it anyways, that you're excluding yourself. You keep avoiding everyone, and you're so quiet. It's freaking us out. The car thing happened a while ago, and this is the first you've said anything about it. What's with you and Harry?"

Ginny fell silent, her eyes stinging. This was strange. She usually told George everything. She always spilled her guts to anyone who would listen like it was the easiest thing in the world. But now George couldn't understand her. How do you tell your older brother that the only thing you care about anymore is a boy? He probably would think she was diseased or something.

For a second, she was in danger of proving herself as loud as her mother, something George would have been happy to see after her recent antiques. But instead, she deflated more than her mattress and just muttered, "Listen, why don't you just, just talk about Hogwarts or something" Harry Potter makes my stomach hurt.

With a small sigh, George slid off the bed and began stacking her tattered books in a pile next to the cauldron.

"Well, you know the first thing they make all the first years do is swim across the lake without getting eaten by the giant squid. It's the only way there is to see if you have enough magic in you to be a real which or wizard…"

**Chapter 4-Life's new best friend**

There was a blank diary sitting in her stack of books. _Weird_. _Maybe I should ask Mum. _Mrs. Weasley's voice at that moment could be heard hollering at the twins again. "…wasting your money on junk…. Can't even… responsibilities… not again…"

Then again, it was just some crappy old journal nobody could ever possibly have wanted. Nobody would miss it….

Dear friend

Dear Journal

Dear Diary.

I have no idea what's made me want to write in this.

Dear Diary.

I need someone to talk to. Up for the job?

Dear Diary,

My name is Ginny Weasley. I'm starting at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry very soon.

Dear Diary,

No matter how stupid this sounds nothing I say here will ever make me embarrassed. You won't tell anyone anything. You won't laugh when I tell you about Him. Harry Potter that is. The Boy who lived. And thank God he did, because he's the most amazing boy I've ever met.

_Dear Miss Ginny,_

_Does the name Tom Riddle mean anything to you?_

(insert big blotch of ink here)

Who are you? What is this?

_There' no need to panic Ginny. I'm just a sympathetic ear that's here for the listening. You don't have to talk to me if you don't want. But I'd love to hear all about this boy who lived._

Are you serious? Oh, just you wait, he's the most amazing person you'll ever meet.

Ginny didn't run out of ink. Just barely, but not quite.

**Chapter 5- life's most exciting type of train ride (not counting the ones where there's people getting blown up)**

Before she knew it (which was quite a surprise, actually), Ginny was waving goodbye to her parents as she boarded the Hogwarts express. Her perfect send off hadn't gone off quite as she'd imagined it (Fred forgot his broom, she forgot her new diary, Him and Ron were nowhere to be seen, and they were all so late that they'd nearly missed the train). The train had started moving before she'd been able to find a seat. And she didn't have any idea how Ron and Him had managed to get on before the train left completely. Typical day in the family of Weasley alright… She pictured herself trying to explain her family to Tom. It would be interesting, to say the least. With a last glance out the door's small window, she turned away from her parents' profiles (glad her mother wasn't completely alone after all) and wondered where all her brothers had gone. She hoped He hadn't missed the train. Straining to drag her heavy antique trunk behind her, (it had once been her Great-Grandmother's) she began peering into the compartments, getting anxious to find a seat at least before they got all the way there.

_Freaky looking boys…._

_Nope, that girl looked like a pug…._

_Too full…_

_Aren't any of these empty...?_

She was about midway down the train when Hermione Granger came running up, deep black robes swishing behind her, a large-toothed, beaming smile planted on her excited face.

"Hello Ginny, I'm Hermione. I'm sure Ron and Harry have told you all about me. I'm so excited for the new school year, and you must be too, Ron told me you've been excited all summer. You'll love it so much, Hogwarts is just the most amazing place on earth, and I do hope you're in Gryffindor with all your family and Harry and I. I would be glad to show you to any of your classes or to help you with homework or anything like that. Of course, any house you're in I'm sure you'd do credit to. By the way, have you seen where Ron and Harry went? I've been looking all over but I can't seem to find them."

Ginny backed away from this onslaught with a slightly panicked look in her big brown eyes. She's seen Hermione at Diagon Alley, but it hadn't struck her how much this girl could talk. And she was friends with Him. Ginny almost frowned at the though of what she might talk about with _Him_, but then decided it wasn't worth it.

"Um, last I saw, Dad went back to look for Harry and Ron at the barrier, I suppose they got a compartment farther down or something."

"Hermione didn't say "Ok, thanks, see you later" and walk away like Ginny was hoping she would. Instead, it was, "Alright then, before I go get them, how about I help you find some other first years to sit with. I'd ask you to sit with us, but it's good to get to making friends as soon as possible, you know."

Ginny didn't know, but as Hermione had captured the antique trunk and begun to drag it back down the way Ginny had come, she didn't think that really mattered much.

Five minutes later, she and the trunk had been neatly tucked into a compartment with a tall, female first year glaring at her from across the isle. Hermione had assured them that they would soon be the best of friends before scampering off, probably to go get her own private compartment with Him. And Ron too, of course. Mustn't forget dear Ronniekins.

Dear Tom,

Well, today was my second day at Hogwarts, and you were right, it is huge. I went down to breakfast in the Great Hall with my new roommates, and we somehow ended up in the dungeons instead. Don't ask. Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't write to you last night. The sorting and the feast went really late. I'm in Gryffindor, big surprise there, and there's three other girls in my dormitory. I was going to write a little bit when we got to the Gryffindor common room, but then Fred told me that Harry and Ron weren't at the feast because they were in trouble for flying Dad's car to school. Some tosh about the barrier not letting them through, but I don't believe it. Every one of us got through the barrier. Ron was probably having delusions again, thinking he'd showoff or something. He does that from time to time you know.

_I'm not surprised to hear it. Young boys tend to lean to the reckless side more often than not. And congratulations for making Gryffindor, that's great news! I myself was in that house, and I'm sure you'll find it quite entertaining. Tell me more about your roommates._

Well…. Let's just say they're interesting people. Tawny has a ring in her nose. And one in her left ear. Two in her right. It's just a bit odd. I mean, Mum told me I can't eve get my ears pierced once till I'm thirteen. She seems ok though. Today when my stupid brother got a howler from Mum for being a prat with the car, she sat there and glared at everybody who laughed for me. Of course this other girl, Paige totally flipped out. Apparently she's from a muggle family, because she was going on about how Howlers must be a gift sent from Heaven, and where do you buy these things, and can they get louder, and did it really explode and all that. I would have felt bad for Ron about the whole table making such a fuss, but I mean come on. How thick can you get! He flew an Illegal car all the way to Hogwarts! How he planned to get it back home I'll never know. This afternoon, Percy told me Hagrid, the gamekeeper, saw it a ways into the Forbidden forest. Other than that, I haven't seen Percy much. He's got a bit of a secret to deal with, but I'll tell you more about that later. The last girl, Mindy, hasn't said anything yet. Not a single word. She's got these massive pigtails, and they always flop around when she shakes her head. Which she does a lot. Its, "Mindy do you know the answer to number seven… Mindy, do you have an owl… Mindy, are you a mute…" She's starting to scare me.

_I see. I've never heard of anyone being that shy._

Yeah. But Paige talks enough for the both of them. She just moved here from the US, and she's so excited about everything. The mail came in all at once during breakfast today, you probably remember that. She thought it was the neatest thing on Earth I swear. Of course that would have to make the howler second coolest, but yeah. Three lessons later she was still talking about owls and howlers and exploding envelopes and all that.

_Well, it certainly seems that you're going to be having an interesting year._


End file.
